Do you think it is weird when a record is credited to an instrumentalist and the vocals are sung by someone else?

For example, "Na Na Na" was credited to Cozy Powell (who played drums) but the vocalist was Frank Aiello. "Fooled Around And Fell In Love" was credited to Elvin Bishop (who played guitar) but the vocalist was Mickey Thomas. Strangest of all, "Moonlight Shadow" was credited to Mike Oldfield (who played various instruments) but the vocalist was Maggie Reilly. Don't you think that is weird?

"Na Na Na" wasn't written by either Cozy Powell or Fank Aiello. Elvin Bishop and Mike Oldfield wrote their songs, but they got other singers to sing those particular songs. As for "real singer-songwriters", the list of successful ones is very long. Two of the most seminal singer-songwriters I can name off the top of my head are Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan. I could go on all day listing others.

Nosmo King

Sorry, that was supposed to say "Frank Aiello". This pesky keyboard has a nasty habit of missing letters out if I don't keep a close watch on it.

No not at all. The person whose recording date it is hires the musicians and singers to perform on it but it is released under the name of the person who has the contract. Not all composers are singers or at least good ones so if they want something sung they hire someone to do it. I guess I knew Oldfield was not a singer. The Elvin Bishop record is news to me - I remember it and liked it and no matter who sang it. Often if you read the notes on recordings it does credit the different people who participated in recording it. But not all the time.

Singles don't list all the credits on the labels, just the names of the performer, songwriter and producer. The rest of the credits may be found on album covers. Mike Oldfield has been known to sing himself, but he didn't sing on "Moonlight Shadow" yet it was released under his name. I don't think in terms of business contracts, I think in terms of entertainment and what I can see or hear.

Maybe dance records do, but that is a genre unto itself. I was talking about general popular music over the decades rather than the manufactured-especially-for-nightclubs stuff you refer to (and presumably like).

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